On December 30, 1936 took place The first ever on-the-job strike in a General Motors factory (Chevrolet's parenty company), the Fisher Body Plant in Flint, Michigan. On June 26, 1960, a Chevrolet Corvette C1 won a class victory at the American marque's first participation.

24H Le Mans

Le Mans Legendes

24 Heures du Mans

Historique

The 4 Hours of Barcelona kicked off the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) with a bang this weekend. The 2025 season opener delivered a job-dropping overall win by AF Corse entered in LMP2 Pro/Am. Just two months ahead of the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans on 11-15 June, the performance set quite the tone for upcoming battles in the LMP2 and LMGT3 classes.

AF Corse&#39;s Matthieu Vaxivi&egrave;re clinched the team&#39;s victory&nbsp;in the final moments of the race at&nbsp;the wheel of the #83 ORECA-Gibson. The French driver managed to overtake three&nbsp;LMP2s in the last lap. He shares the triumph with teammates&nbsp;Fran&ccedil;ois Perrodo and&nbsp;Alessio Rovera, LMP2 Pro/Am winners last year. They couldn&#39;t have hoped for a better&nbsp;launch to their&nbsp;2025 campaign just two months from the&nbsp;24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans where&nbsp;17 prototypes will go head to head in an&nbsp;LMP2 class more fiercely competitive than ever.

<h2>Jamie Chadwick Makes History</h2>

IDEC Sport claimed the top step on the&nbsp;LMP2 podium with the #18 ORECA driven by&nbsp;Jamie Chadwick, Daniel Juncadella and&nbsp;Mathys Jaubert. Chadwick became the first woman&nbsp;in ELMS history to win the LMP2 class. The team beat out&nbsp;VDS Panis Racing&#39;s #48 ORECA.

<h2>The Iron Dames make their Mark in&nbsp;LMGT3</h2>

The&nbsp;Iron Dames took the LMGT3 class with the #85&nbsp;Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 shared by&nbsp;C&eacute;lia Martin, Sarah Bovy and&nbsp;Michelle Gatting, scoring the outfit&#39;s third ELMS win after a flawless race. Gatting staved off constant pressure from&nbsp;Daniel Serra in Kessel Racing&#39;s #57&nbsp;Ferrari 296 LMGT3, earning this all-female driver line-up a breathtaking victory.

The showing sets the team up well heading&nbsp;into the 2025 24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans. The&nbsp;Iron Dames will aim for the top spot in&nbsp;the packed 24-car LMGT3 class.

This opening round in Barcelona is&nbsp;already resonating in the run-up to the 93rd running of the race. All eyes will be on AF Corse, Iron Dames and IDEC Sport where the battles promise to be more intense than ever in LMP2,&nbsp;LMGT3 and of course&nbsp;Hypercar.

ELMS – AF Corse wins the 4 Hours of Barcelona

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) is excited to announce that iGarden, a subsidiary of the Fairland Group, will join the 24 Hours of Le Mans as an official partner.

iGarden, a Chinese company specializing in robotics, smart energy management, and water treatment, shares the ACO&#39;s ambition to combine innovation with sustainable development. Notably, the company is recognized for its longest endurance robots, whose performance is certified by the Guinness World Records, proving their reliability and exceptional durability. 
 
Moreover, the cutting-edge designs of iGarden&rsquo;s products echo to the bold lines of the Hypercars that compete on the 24 Hours of Le Mans track. This aesthetic and technological synergy strengthens the connection between the two brands, both of which are dedicated to excellence and innovation. 
 
This partnership also presents new opportunities for iGarden, allowing it to leverage the international visibility of the event to introduce its products to the European market. By becoming the first Chinese partner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, iGarden demonstrates the global reach of this legendary race and its popular reputation, which continues to grow and reach an ever-wider audience. 
 
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest&nbsp;: &ldquo;We are delighted to welcome iGarden among the official partners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This partnership is fully in line with our approach to innovation and sustainable development, in line with the pioneering spirit that has driven our event for over a century. We look forward to collaborating with iGarden to make the 24 Hours of Le Mans an ever more innovative and responsible event.&rdquo; 
 
Andy Chen, CEO of Fairland Group&rsquo;s:&nbsp;&ldquo;We share the same soul on the Le Mans 24 Hours circuit: &ldquo;Human Crazy&rdquo;. In motorsport as in the technology industry, racers are geeks. Just like the hypercar manufacturers at Le Mans who push the boundaries of production technologies and aim for exciting world records, we share the same passion for developing world-winning robotic technologies. At iGarden, we are a team of grassroot geeks with crazy dream - One family, one iGarden - each enjoying an outdoor utopia.&rdquo;

iGarden: Official Partner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans starts at 16:00 on 14 June. This year’s competitors have already been announced and now is the time to reveal the schedule of events for race week.

NEW FOR 2025

 
SATURDAY 7 JUNE: STARS OF THE TRACK ON THE STREETS OF LE MANS 
 
For the third time in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 30 cars, 19 in this year&rsquo;s line-up, will parade along a 2.1-kilometre loop in the city centre. Last year, thousands of admirers lined the route, bringing the trackside atmosphere into town. This year we&rsquo;re doubling the fun: the parade will complete two loops, starting from Place du Jet d&rsquo;Eau, the fountain at the foot of the cathedral. 
Safety will be assured by 70 marshals stationed along the route. See you on Saturday 7 June at the closure of the scrutineering session, when the stars of the track take to the streets of Le Mans.

&nbsp;

FROM TUESDAY 10 JUNE:&nbsp;TWO NEW FAN ZONES AND A MANUFACTURERS&rsquo; VILLAGE 
 
The circuit boasts two new fan zones at&nbsp;Tertre Rouge and Karting. 
 
These areas are designed to give spectators an all-round experience of the world of endurance racing. As the name suggests, the Family fan zone&nbsp;is destined for the youngest visitors, with educational workshops, video games and interactive exhibitions. The fan zone at Porte Est&nbsp;(East Gate) combines societal commitments with well-being and relaxation, including free massages and a temporary tattoo parlour. At the Karting&nbsp;fan zone spectators can try racing simulators and admire the vehicles on display. Head to the Tertre Rouge fan zone for outdoor fun, including a laser game and a climbing wall. The Concert fan zone is where the live music is staged throughout the week. With such an array on offer, it&rsquo;s safe to say there&rsquo;s something for everyone.The 24 Hours of Le Mans manufacturers&#39; village will feature the unmissable presence of manufacturers taking part in the race or future participants in the race, including Alpine, BMW M, Ford, Genesis, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche and Toyota.&nbsp;With spectacular exhibitions, sales of souvenirs and collections, and a place to relax, this village is a real place of life !

&nbsp;

WEDNESDAY 11 JUNE: THE MUSTANG CHALLENGE SUPPORT RACE, RIBBON-CUTTNG AT THE ACO H2 HYDROGEN VILLAGE AND HYPERPOLE QUALIFICATION 
 
Ford Performance is bringing the Mustang Challenge to Le Mans as a supporting fixture.&nbsp;The event will be an optional round of the IMSA Mustang Challenge with a limited field of cars in the hands of appropriately qualified drivers. Look forward to an incomparable spectator experience. 
Visitors to the ACO H2 Hydrogen village will discover the H2 paddock with a mobile filling station, a display of hydrogen prototypes, some of which will be on track at Thursday&rsquo;s and Saturday&rsquo;s demo sessions.&nbsp; 
MissionH24 &ndash; the ACO and H24Project joint venture &ndash; will unveil the H24EVO. Hydrogen-powered transport is the star of this show, ranging from bicycles, cars, motorbikes, boats, rockets, trucks, trains and planes.&nbsp;The village opens on Tuesday afternoon and from 10:00 to midnight from Wednesday to Sunday. The on-site presenter, to be announced shortly, is a prominent figure of the sporting world. The ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for late morning Wednesday 11 June. 
Spread over two days, the new Hyperpole format is set to be even more exciting. LMP2 and LMGT3 cars take part in a 30-minute qualifying session after Free Practice 1. Only the top 12 go through to Hyperpole. The Hypercars follow, with the top 15 selected for Hyperpole.

&nbsp;

THURSDAY 12 JUNE: NEW-FORMAT HYPERPOLE 
 
On Thursday, there will be two Hyperpole sessions, aptly named Hyperpole 1 and Hyperpole 2. H1 sees the 24 cars in LMP2 and LMGT3 battle against the clock in a 20-minute session. The top 8 go through to Hyperpole 2. The same format applies to the Hypercar class, with the top 10 qualified for the final (Hyperpole 2). Hyperpole 2 drivers will have 15 minutes in which to claim the best grid slots. 
 
The 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans starts at 16:00 on 14 June. See you there!

&nbsp;

&lt;&lt;&lt;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/program">DETAILED SCHEDULE</a> &gt;&gt;&gt;

LAST CHANCE! 
 
Enjoy the Practice &amp; Qualifying sessions and the new Hyperpole format and then head to the Concert fan zone for the evening&rsquo;s live music. Tickets are on sale from &euro;23 for students and &euro;62 for Green Tickets, which reward sustainable transport choices

&lt;&lt;&lt; <a href="https://ticket.24h-lemans.com/selection/event/date?productId=10229239928157&amp;gtmStepTracking=true&amp;lang=en">TICKETS </a>&gt;&gt;&gt;

24 Hours of Le Mans 2025  A historic grid calls for an outstanding schedule of events

Reigning Formula E world champion Pascal Wehrlein is set to make his 24 Hours of Le Mans début in this year’s race (11-15 June). Having joined the Porsche Penske Motorsport team, the German will share the wheel of the #4 Porsche 963 with Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy.

After familiarising himself with the Porsche 963 in January&rsquo;s 24 Hours of Daytona with JDC-Miller MotorSports, Pascal Wehrlein is ready to face a whole new challenge in the French endurance classic. He is joining a top-notch line-up alongside three-time IMSA champion Felipe Nasr and 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Nick Tandy. Veteran Tandy has 12 Le Mans starts under his belt (nine in a Porsche) while Nasr is preparing to make his sixth appearance in the race.

Porsche Motorsport Vice President Thomas Laudenbach says Wehrlein&rsquo;s inclusion in the line-up is a no-brainer. &ldquo;The Porsche driver roster is absolutely top-tier and incredibly deep,&rdquo; he enthuses. &ldquo;Pascal Wehrlein has fully convinced us with his performance in testing and his participation in the 24 Hours of Daytona. As the reigning Formula E World Champion, he has earned his Le Mans debut at the wheel of a Porsche 963.&rdquo;

Taking the wheel of the Porsche 963 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is an accomplishment for the 30-year-old German. &ldquo;Competing for Porsche Penske Motorsport at Le Mans is a dream come true for me,&rdquo; Wehrlein insists. &ldquo;I&#39;m&nbsp;looking forward to this major challenge because, unlike in Formula E, I have to share everything in the Porsche 963 that I would normally tailor specifically to myself: seating position, setup, strategy, and more. My primary goal is to do a strong job for the team and learn as much as possible.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

<h2>Ant&oacute;nio F&eacute;lix da Costa in LMP2</h2>

Unlike rookie Wehrlein, his Formula E teammate Ant&oacute;nio F&eacute;lix da Costa is a familiar face at the race. The Portuguese driver will line up in an Oreca 07-Gibson LMP2 this year, his seventh 24 Hours of Le Mans appearance. After winning the class in 2022, he hopes his experience and determination will put his team in with a shout of top spot once again. &ldquo;I am very happy to be back at Le Mans after one year&rsquo;s absence,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;In my last LMP2 appearance, I won the class. That&rsquo;s my goal again this year.&rdquo;

With Wehrlein at the wheel of the #4 Porsche 963 alongside Nasr and Tandy, Porsche Penske Motorsport is banking on a solid, complementary trio to clinch its 20th overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

&nbsp;

Pascal Wehrlein joins Porsche Penske Motorsport for 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans

24 Heures du Mans 1960

Briggs Cunningham returned to the 24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans in 1960 after a five-year hiatus. He didn&#39;t participate in one of his own creations, but in a&nbsp;Corvette C1 instead. Though the owner-driver, in the #1 car, was forced to retire, like two other Vettes at the start, the #3&nbsp;C1 driven by John Fitch and&nbsp;Bob Grossman crossed the finish line in eighth place overall and graced the 4000-5000cm3 class with the inimitable sound of its&nbsp;beastly V8 engine.

Photo (Copyright - Archives/ACO): The #1, #2 and #3&nbsp;Corvette C1s entered by&nbsp;Briggs Cunningham at the&nbsp;1960 24 Hours of Le Mans.

24H LE MANS

Today's Photo Story - Corvette's first class win at Le Mans in 1960

Related News

ELMS – AF Corse wins the 4 Hours of Barcelona

iGarden: Official Partner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans

24 Hours of Le Mans 2025 A historic grid calls for an outstanding schedule of events

Pascal Wehrlein joins Porsche Penske Motorsport for 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans

Major Partner

PREMIUM partners

OFFICIAL partners